Rays 10, Yankees 3: In 1974, Dock Ellis hit three Cincinnati Reds players in a row to start a game. He tried to hit a fourth — Tony Perez — but ended up walking him because Perez kept dodging pitches. He then tried to hit Johnny Bench, but before he could, Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh took him out. The plunkings were intentional, by the way: before the game, Ellis told his teammates that he wanted to make a statement. His exact quote in the locker room: “We gonna get down. We gonna do the do. I’m going to hit these motherf——.”

I’d like to think Javier Vazquez was cool and brash enough to do that before he hit three Rays in a row last night, but we know better. He’s just lost. And this could have been the last time he ever pitches for the Yankees. Fitting it came in such an ugly game. Both of his stints in New York have been nightmares, more or less.

As for what this disaster of a game means: the season series between these two is over, and the Yankees have a half-game lead. But they also have to play six games against the Red Sox and three against the Jays. Tampa Bay, on the other hand, plays the Mariners, Orioles and Royals. And the Rays possess the tiebreaker. I like the Rays’ chances, don’t you?

Giants 13, Cubs 0: I did a radio hit last night. Instead of watching any baseball or surfin’ the web before I went on, I read a book. I had been reading baseball stuff and writing all day, so I figured I was prepared. The host asked me about the Giants, and I said something about how they’ve had trouble scoring runs. As soon as I got off the phone I checked the scores and saw this. I would like to thank the host — who I know had the current scores up in front of him at the time — for not totally slamming me with the “well, they’re not having trouble scoring runs tonight!” line, which would have totally thrown me off my game. Oh, and in case you missed it, Juan Uribe hit a grand slam and a two-run homer in the second.

Dodgers 3, Padres 1: And this one puts the Giants alone back up in first place. This is the first time the Dodgers have beat San Diego in seven games. Rod Barajas: “It’s not like we have nothing to play for. We have pride. You don’t want to be the punching bag.” Took awhile for L.A. to begin to feel this way, but at least they got there.

Diamondbacks 10, Rockies 9: Like watching a stock car run out of gas on the final lap. Carlos Gonzalez did everything he could to get out and push — a grand slam and a two run single while trying to come back from an 8-2 deficit — but he wasn’t getting any help from his bullpen. And the starter — Jeff Francis — had nothing either. Three and a half games back in both the division and the wild card seems awfully large right now, but at least they’re home this weekend against the Giants. The only question now is can anyone around here pitch?

Athletics 5, Rangers 0: Ruh-roh. Dallas Braden one-hit Texas over eight innings and Cliff Lee looked extremely mortal (5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER). The “ruh-roh” is not because I think the A’s can make up seven games with ten to go — that would be beyond nuts — but because the Rangers are looking really, really bad as this thing winds down. You think the Rays and Yankees wouldn’t rather play them than the Twins right now? Think again.

Royals 4, Indians 2: I’m not going to go back and check because I have a pretty good memory for these things, but I’m going to say that the Royals and Indians have played each other 346 times this season. With this win, the Royals assured themselves of no worse than 99 losses. The Indians still need one more win in order to do that.

Brewers 8, Marlins 3: Sandy Rosario made his big league debut in the seventh inning of this one. His first pitch resulted in a Rickie Weeks home run to left. His second pitch was a strike. His third pitch was a Prince Fielder home run to right field. Then he gave up a double and a couple of singles. You know what they call a pitcher whose debut goes as bad as that? A major league pitcher. And even if this is the only game he ever plays in the bigs, no one will ever be able to take that away from Sandy Rosario, no matter how nightmarish it was.

The Cards shook the poo out for a game. Good for them. “mommy wow! i’m a big kid now”
Yup, BTW ,I’m sooo not upset about Lee getting traded. He seems, and he seemed in Philly too At times, He seems to be very hot and cold. The kind of pitcher were you just never know if it’ll be Jekyl or Hyde showing up. As far as what he did before coming to Philly? I don’t know, but just wanted to mention that. The Giants might just be able to put poo in the Braves pants by winning like they have been. .750 ball or you die. I’m rooting for the Braves though.

C.C. lost the Cy Young that he didn’t deserve in the first place last night. Anyone who looks at yesterday’s games and still tries to make a case for C.C. is bananas. I now have CC 6th at best, behind Price, Felix, Lester, Buchholz, and Cahill. The big question of the day today is whether Uncle Charlie will rest his big guns against R.A. Dickey…last time the Phillies faced Dickey, he threw a 1 hit shutout against them. And the first time he faced them, they didn’t hit right for a month. I’d sit Werth, Howard, and Ibanez for this game.

Jonny, I really hate the ungrateful bastards who forget just how freaking dominant Clifford Phifer Lee was during the postseason last year. 4-0. 1.56 ERA. 0.818 WHIP. 2-0 in the World Series…the only two wins for the Phillies. Do you remember Cole Hamels in the postseason last year? 1-2. 9 ERA. 1.5 WHIP. Do you remember how great Roy Halladay was the last time he pitched in the postseason? Me neither because HE NEVER HAS PITCHED IN THE POSTSEASON!!!!
Look, I think Cole is better this year and I think Roy has the makeup to be a dominant stud in the postseason. But this revisionist history dissing Cliff Lee makes me want to beat the shit out of somebody!!!! Show some God Damned Respect for the man.

He won’t. There are still 4 games to win with 9 to go. I saw a post game interview asking him about that. He’s not going to take the season too lightly until they either clinch it or lose it. That’s how i heard it anyway.
But I’ve been saying that about RA Dickey. Uhh ohhhs.. Dickey has the ability to make these guys forget how to hit, for a lonnnggg time. Like some voodoo or something. I’ll be at the game tonight right behind the Mets dugout. I’m going to be heard by the Mets. Come up with some good one liners for me to use on Dickey (that shouldn’t be too difficult).

I’m not dissing him, just calling it as I see it. He had periods were he was hit as bad as Hamels was getting hit. Then he would be shutting out teams. It’s still happening. It’s a fact. How are stating facts “dissing” ? I don’t forget the domination, but it seems that’s all you can remember. You are one guy who just constantly see’s facts as talking smack, i don’t get it. Lee’s a great pitcher, prone to periods of “not so great” And imo it’s more often an up and down swing for him than other some other “great’ pitchers. “Ungrateful bastard?” Lol! you are a strange one. No wonder people think Philly fans are a-wipes.

What Cliff Lee did in the postseason is what matters…it’s ALL that matters…not what he did against Milwaukee, the Astros or the Gnats in a meaningless September game. If you don’t see the difference, then I don’t know what to tell you. Plus, you did diss Lee by saying you are glad the Phillies do not have him. Why? Because he dominated the postseason for us last year? Or because you are so on Amaro’s dick that you choose to look past how horrible the Lee deal was and try to spout the notion that he PLANNED THIS ALL that way? Then you wonder why people look at Phillies fans like we are crazy??? When guys like you try to tell everyone that Amaro traded Lee for three shitty prospects because he KNEW Oswalt would be available later in the year??? And you call ME an a-wipe??? LOL.
p.s. Enjoy the game tonight.

Craig, one of your old stats friends had a great article at Hardball Times about how September results don’t carry over to the playoffs. Something like a 90% non-correlation. It was reprinted in the ESPN magazine for those of you who don’t automatically throw that out (I usually do, but it fell out of the recycling pile and opened to that page. Providential?)

Actually i said “i’m not too upset by him being traded”, which does mean I’m still kinda upset, but it’s all good now. Dude, you are wayyyy off base here. You just don’t seem to get it. Right now I’d say Halladay and Oswalt both are a wayyy better lock than Lee is. I don’t care how many times you mention the playoffs from last season, this season he’s a seesaw, and he was with the Phills in a way too.. Amaro isn’t the best GM ever, but I’m not going to pretend he’s an idiot for one possible mistep because you want to carry Cliff Lee’s children. A move that eventually turned out to be a move that actually made the Phillies better for less $$. And furthermore i merely suggested it could have been in the plan the whole time. The fact that he did do it sooo quickly makes me sit and think maybe it was exactly that. I can’t believe Cliff lee is still an issue with some crazy Philly fans. He’s gone. Say it. Ok now say goodbye. It was nice while it lasted. Not nice like today’s philly pitching is though and even you, a perpetual “Cliff Lee Nut nuzzling freak” can see that much.

if you had said “i’m not too upset by him being traded”, OK. But that’s not what you said. Jesus Christ…read what you wrote in the post that I initially responded to…you said “Yup, BTW ,I’m sooo not upset about Lee getting traded.” And I “nuzzle Cliff Lee’s nuts” as much as you nuzzle Amaro’s. When the Phillies win the 2010 World Series, it will be despite Amaro, not because of him. MARK MY WORDS!!!!!

Not much to say about that awful performance by the Feesh last night except, maybe, that they’ve adhered to the strange attractor (GSA) for the twenty sixth time this season. It’s like watching the as yet undifferentiated reincarnating atmans of Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner vying for a portal to their next incarnations.
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Damn! What did they put in this shit?

Blah blah blah, whatever. I still think Lee is great no matter how many times you tell me i don’t. Just wanted to mention he has a tendency to go from great to not too great more often than most other “aces”

K Jonny. Sorry if I went to far. We all agree that the 2010 Phillies are the best team in baseball and this is the best era of Philadelphia baseball, unless you want to go back to the turn of the century A’s or the mid 70’s teams that seemed to choke against the Dodgers/Reds every year.

Don’t be sorry man. I’ve been thoroughly conditioned to absorb tons of abuse. I’ve been married for about the last two centuries. I do realize you are just an excitable boy (great song btw) when people talk about things you’re passionate about. Things I don’t do on a MB, is take offense, or hold a grudge. Opinions are like A-holes, everyone has one, and they all stink. Besides mine of course. It’s always nice to add some spice to HBT anyway, I’m sure Craig doesn’t take offense to it.

KIDS, KIDS, KIDS, KIDS, KIDS!!!!!!!!!!!! Don’t make me turn this car around!!!!! ‘Cause if I do, we may have to go home and watch the Phightins in the Series while John Mayberry gets the beer and horsemeat!!!! You don’t ant THAT to happen, now do you? So settle down, kids, mmmkay?